Warriors ready for title defence as Pro20 Cup takes centre stage

The Warriors defeated Boland in a tense T20 Challenge final last year that required a Super Over in Paarl, to clinch their first title in 15 years.

Now with the competition set to include both Division 1 and Division 2 teams, de Villiers says they need to be more focused and improve on their performances from last season, with an increased workload this time around.

"Yeah, I don't think it's a challenge for us. We understand and know that every tournament will be different; there are different teams this year as well. There are new teams, but also new signings for teams, including us as a union. It's not really a challenge for us, I would say, but we need to look out and see how we can improve from last year," said de Villiers.

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"Yes, we won the trophy, but there were still a few improvements we could have made as a union and as a team. We are a new group now, so it's just about trying to connect with the guys and make sure everyone feels at home, especially in a tournament like this with a lot of traveling and more games."

"If we make the Super 8, we are going to need real squad unity, so that's also a part of what we need to do coming up in the traveling and everything to make sure we tighten the squad going forward. So if you want to call that a challenge, we will take that with both hands, but we're looking forward to moving ahead with a strong squad, whether the guys are playing or not, just trying to stay as tight as possible."

de Villiers made it clear that they will not allow any complacency to creep in especially when facing lower division sides, and also added that they're excited to travel to other parts of the country which they wouldn’t have ordinarily been to.

The 2026/27 calendar is packed with action for not only domestic cricket but also on the international front, and de Villiers believes this can only be good for the game in the country.

He continued to say the more cricket played means more opportunities for other players in their squads to get a chance.

The Warriors are in action up first on Friday with a clash against North West Dragons at Supersport Park, and de Villiers admitted that it won’t be an easy opponent to face.

He says it’s important to start on a winning note to set the tone for the rest of the tournament.